| Summary : An Augustinian monastery founded in 1253 by Sir John Mansell, Lord Chief Justice of England. Mansell had the monastic buildings constructed at the manorial centre of Upper Bilsington, endowing the monastery with the surrounding demesne lands. The roughly square, north east-south west aligned moat which lies within the southern part of the monument is believed to represent the pre-existing, moated medieval manor house. Situated towards the eastern edge of the monument, the main monastic buildings were arranged around a square cloister yard. The standing ranges are mainly constructed of originally plastered ragstone rubble, decorated with ashlar dressings topped by clay-tiled roofs. The buildings are thought to represent the southern refectory range, with the abbot's and guest lodgings attached to its south east corner. Historical records indicate that the monastic buildings were constructed in the years between 1253-58. Investigations carried out in 1952 indicate that the other main claustral buildings, including the church, survive as below ground remains. Buried traces of the gatehouse survive in the north east corner of the monument. Two large, irregular fishponds, constructed in the northern part of the monument, and a third smaller pond which reuses the north eastern part of the moat, helped to supply the monastery with fresh fish. The priory was dissolved in 1536 with much of the monastic buildings demolished and the surviving buildings reused as a farmhouse throughout the post medieval period. Scheduled. |
More information : (TR 04333552) Remains of St. Augustine's Priory (NR)
(founded A.D. 1253)
(TR 04223562) Moat (NR) (1)
Bilsington Priory: a house of Augustinian Canons; founded AD 1253,
dissolved AD 1536; dedicated to St Mary.
The complex comprises a moat round the modern house, remains of Priory buildings (probably Refectory and Prior's lodgings) to its NE, another moat to the NW, and two fishponds, one about 100 yards to the north and the other close by on the south. (2-4)
Bilsington Priory (Medieval buildings only) Grade 1.
The house is modern but detached to the north east of it is a portion
of the Priory of the virgin Mary founded by John Mansell, Provost of
Beverley, in 1253 for Augustinian Canons, and dissolved in 1536. This consists of the Refectory with the Assembly Hall over it and the Prior's Lodging to the south-west. C13, restored in 1906. Stone
rubble. Tiled roof. The Refectory and Hall have buttresses at the
angles rising the whole height of the building. 3 modern ws. at the
first floor level on the west front. The Prior's Lodging is an
L-shaped wing to the south-west. 3s. with square tower of 4s. in the angle of the L. Buttresses on ground floor only at the angles and along the south front. (5)
The owner states that:
(a) the remains of the Church and Cloister were found in the field
north of the extant buildings in an excavation by C.R. Councer for the Kent Arch Soc 1952 (unpublished);
(b) the farm-buildings, now one, at TR 04373561 incorporated remains
of the Gatehouse;
(c) the well at TR 04433565 is a Holy Well connected with the Priory.
The extant Priory buildings have been completely renovated and roofed
and are in excellent condition. Nothing is now visible at the
indicated position of the Gatehouse and the reputed Holy Well is
concrete lined with recent brick housing.
The Moat round the new house (built 1906) has been much mutilated in
landscaping. It is clearly not directly related to the Priory and
probably therefore represents the site of Bilsington Superior Manor
(see b) House (owned by Sir John Mansel, founder of the Priory).
The other 'Moat' and two ponds are probably all fishponds, though they have not the usual formal shape; that on the north has a merely superficial resemblance to a moat, and that on the south is an
enlargement of the proper moat.
The dedication is said to be to St Mary the Virgin and St Nicholas (b). (6)
(TR 04333552) Remains of (NAT) Priory (NR)
(Augustinian Founded 1253) (NAT)
(TR 04283548) Moat (NR)
(TR 04273561) Fish Ponds (NR) (7)
TR 043356. Priory, Bilsington. Listed in a checklist of moated sites in Kent - December 1979. (8)
Bilsington priory, the complete domestic block survives, perhaps the
infirmary hall, much restored by Micklethwaite in 1906. The
restoration destroyed the texture and history of the buildings. (9)
Details of the limited excavation mentioned at (a). Little was found
except for debris from the 1906 restoration.
A 17th century estate map penes Major Pratt-Boorman may indicate the
site of the main monastery buildings.
Councer has in his possession a collection of photographs taken
before, during and after the 1906 restoration. (10)
Bilsington Priory; Augustinian Canons, founded 1253, dissolved 1536.
(11)
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